Kansas over Baylor

Phog.net Staff

LAWRENCE, Kan. -- In front of a homecoming crowd of 40,088 fans, the Kansas football team defeated the Baylor Bears, 28-21 Saturday afternoon at Memorial Stadium. The win gives Kansas a 5-2 record for the first time since the 1985 season.

The Jayhawks took the field and scored on their first possession when sophomore running back Clark Green busted a 17-yard touchdown run to cap a 61-yard drive, making the score 7-0. Green's touchdown marked KU's longest rushing touchdown of the season. The 17-yard score was Green's fifth of the year, also marking his career high. The Bears tied the game 7-7 when James Todd blocked a Curtis Ansel punt, then recovered the ball in the endzone.

Baylor scored on a 24-yard screen pass from Aaron Karas to Rashad Armstorng in the second quarter to grab a 14-7 lead. The Jayhawks came right back when senior quarterback Bill Whittemore threw an 18-yard pass to freshman wideout Charles Gordon for the score, capping an 81-yard drive. On the afternoon, Whittemore completed 19-of-30 passes for 252 yards and two touchdowns. The Jayhawks and Bears went into halftime tied at 14.

After both teams fought for field position in a scoreless third quarter, the momentum shifted in favor of KU when the big-play combination of Whittemore to Mark Simmons connected on a 40-yard touchdown pass. The touchdown made the score 21-14 early in the fourth quarter. Whittemore's touchdown passes to Gordon and Simmons moved him above June Henley for second-place on the KU career touchdowns responsible for list (44). Whittemore also passed Chip Hilleary for third-place on the KU career touchdown passes list (26) and tied Mike Norseth and David Jaynes for first-place on KU's single-season touchdown passes list (15).

The Jayhawks scored again in the fourth quarter when John Randle crossed the goal line on a 12-yard rush, making the score 28-14. The Bears answered back when Karas found Marques Roberts, who scored from 15 yards out, making the score 28-21. Baylor had the ball with a chance to tie the game until sophomore linebacker Banks Floodman picked off an errant Karras pass to collect his first career-interception, sealing the KU win.

The Kansas defense was led by Gabriel Toomey and Floodman who racked up a combined of 21 tackles, five of those tackles resulted in a loss of yardage for the Bears.

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